Classical and Operant

Conditioning
By Chandler Witter

What is Conditioning?
Conditioning is a form of learning.
According to the Encyclopedia
Britannica, conditioning is a,
"Behavioral process whereby a
response becomes more frequent
or more predictable in a given
environment as a result of
reinforcement, with
reinforcement typically being a
stimulus or a desired
response."("conditioning | psychology |
Britannica.com,")

Introduction
Conditioning
is a very important topic
in the field of behavioral psychology.
There are different ways of
understanding this topic and different
viewpoints to look at it from.
Therefore, in order to know how this
topic glorifies God and be prepared to
defend a Biblical position on it, it is
important to understand the key
features, facts, and viewpoints about
conditioning. This presentation will
also be presenting the material in
ways that can be understood by
people new to the topic.
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Where did the concept begin?

The procedures of study,
theories, observations, and
definitions of conditioning
began in Russia and England,
sometime in the beginning of
the 20th century. ("conditioning |
psychology | Britannica.com,")

Some of the major contributors

were Ivan Pavlov, Edward L.
Thorndike, and B. F. Skinner

Who Was Ivan Pavlov

Ivan Pavlov was a Russian physiologist. He was
born in Ryazan, Russia, on September 14,
1849. He died in Leningrad on February 27,
1936 (Fields, 2015).
He graduated from the University of St.
Petersburg. He also received his medical
degree and post-doctoral degree (Fields, 2015).
He is known for his discovery and research of
classical conditioning. He is also known for his
outstanding research on the digestive
processes of dogs (Fields, 2015).

For his research he was awarded the

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
(Fields, 2015).

Ivan Pavlov
(Fields, 2015)

Who was B. F. Skinner

Burrhus F. Skinner was born is

Susquehanna, Pennsylvania. He
graduated from Hamilton College and
earned his Ph.D at Harvard University
(Smith, 2010).

As a psychologist, he was an outspoken

supporter of the behaviorist viewpoint.
He supported the idea that human
knowledge of human behavior starts as
a blank slate, and therefore, can be
taught anything using conditioning
(Smith, 2010).

B. F.
Skinner
(Smith, 2010)

Though nowadays some of his

experiments would be deemed
unethical, his work greatly contributed
to world's understanding (Smith, 2010).
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Classical Conditioning
Classical, or Pavlovian, conditioning
was discovered by Ivan Pavlov (Myers,
2010).
Classical Conditioning is a type of
learning that involves learning to
associate more than one stimuli and
anticipate events (Myers, 2010).
It is the pairing of a neutral stimuli
with the stimuli that produces an
unconditioned response, making it so
that a similar response can be
evoked after being presented only
with the formerly neutral, now
conditioned, stimuli (Myers, 2010).
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Basics
Classical conditioning begins with
observing an unconditioned
response to an unconditioned
stimuli (Myers, 2010).
Then to condition the learner, a
neutral stimulus is presented along
with the unconditioned stimulus.

Finally, after repetitive conditioning, a response can be

produced by presenting the conditioned stimulus,
formerly the neutral stimulus. This is possible because
of the heavy association between the unconditioned
stimulus and the conditioned stimulus. Also, the
conditioned response to the conditioned stimulus will
be similar the unconditioned counterparts (Myers, 2010).
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Studies
Pavlov's Dogs- Ivan Pavlov's studies on
dogs lead him to first discover classical
conditioning. The dogs were presented
with food and responded with salivation.
During conditioning, a tone was sounded
along as the dog was responding to the
unconditioned stimulus. After
conditioning, the dogs would salivate at
the sounding of the tone. That was first
major of classical conditioning. (Myers, 2010)

Little Albert- The Little Albert experiments were

experiments in classical conditioning, the were
performed on a young child named Albert. The studies
help define the conditioning terms such as
generalization, acquisition, and extinction.in the
experiment, little Albert was presented with various
stimuli and then conditioned the respond to them with
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fear. (Weeks, 2014)

Examples of Classical Conditioning

Onion Breath Conditioning:
1. Passionate Kiss= Arousal
2. Passionate + Onion Breath=
Arousal
3. Onion Breath= Arousal
(Myers, 2010)

Little Albert Conditioning Example:

Loud Noise= Fear/Crying
Loud Noise + Furry Animal= Fear/ Crying
Furry Animal= Fear and Crying
(Myers, 2010)
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Operant Conditioning

The definition of operant conditioning is,

"A type of learning in which a behavior is
strengthened if followed by a reinforcer
or diminished if followed by a punisher."
(Myers, 2010

Operant conditioning deals with shaping

behaviors.
Very important to the concept of operant
conditioning is Edward Thorndike's law
of effect: rewarded behavior is likely to
recur. (Myers, 2010)
Building upon Edward Thorndike's law of
effect, Burrhus Skinner developed
behavioral technology and made
discoveries about behavior control. (Myers,
2010)

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Basics
There are four ways to change behavior using operant conditioning:
1. Positive Reinforcement- Adding a pleasant stimulus; for example, giving a hug
or money. (Civil Air Patrol)
2. Negative Reinforcement- Removing an unpleasant stimulus; for example,
taking away a bothering sound or removing something disliked. (Myers, 2010)
3. Positive Punishment- Adding an undesirable stimulus; for example, giving a
spanking. (Civil Air Patrol)
4. Negative Punishment- Taking away a desired stimulus; for example, taking
away a phone or game.
For each of the previously mentioned reinforcement types, there are a variety
of methods and schedules to use while reinforcing.
Also, for the types of punishments, there are various methods to use in
punishing. However, some methods could promote aggressive behavior or fear.

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Studies
There have been a very large
amount of studies done on
operant conditioning and its
applications, however, the
most widely known
experiments are B.F.
Skinners operant chamber
experiments (Myers, 2010).
The next slide shows a video
of a demonstration of
operant conditioning.
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B. F. Skinner Operant Conditioning

Demonstration

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Similarities Between Classical and

Operant Conditioning:
Classical and operant conditioning are
forms of associative learning (Myers, 2010).
Both involve acquisition, spontaneous
recovery, and extinction (Myers, 2010).
Both also involve generalization and
discrimination (Myers, 2010).
"Cognitive processes and biological
predispositions influence both classical
and operant conditioning." (Myers, 2010)
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Differences Between Both Types of

Conditioning:
Classical conditioning involves
associating stimuli and creating
similar responses. It involves
respondent behavior- "Actions that
automatic responses to a stimulus."
(Myers, 2010)

Operant conditioning involves an

organism associating its own actions
with various consequences and
responding accordingly. (Myers, 2010)

While classical conditioning deals more with

stimuli and involuntary responses, operant
conditioning deals with behaviors and shaping
behaviors. (Myers, 2010)
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Views on Conditioning
There are different ways of looking at the
concept of conditioning, both classical and
operant. The first is the behaviorist and the
second is a more biblical viewpoint.
Many behaviorist believe that humans are blank
slates, and that they can be conditioned to
behave in almost any way. One of the most
famous behaviorists, J. Watson, believe that any
it is nearly possible to train and condition
individuals to the point of putting them into a
certain career(Weeks, 2014).
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Biblical View
The behaviorist school of thought does not align
well to a Biblical view of conditioning.
The Bible clearly explains that humans are not
blank slates. Human emotion and behavior is
multifaceted.
Behaviorism is founded upon naturalism. That
makes it difficult for it to agree with the Bible or
even acknowledge Gods existence.
The concept of conditioning is mentioned in the
Bible in a in several instances, in both positive and
negative ways.
Nevertheless, the topic of conditioning does glorify
God.
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Summary
Classical and operant conditioning are two very
important concepts. This presentation has covered
the:
History of Both Types of Conditioning
Basic Principles of Each Type
Major Related Studies
Views on Conditioning
How To Explain This Topic To Others
How This Topic Glorifies God

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References
B. F. Skinner - Demonstration of Operant Conditioning (1971)[Video file]. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeEBq2bhIZw Behaviorism. (2015). Columbia Electronic
Encyclopedia, 6th

Edition, 1.

Behaviorism. (2015). Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition, 1

Civil Air Patrol. (n.d.). Learn to lead.
Conditioned Response - Sermons - Library - Bible Tools. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://

www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Audio.Details/ID/630/Conditioned- Response.htm
conditioning | psychology | Britannica.com. (n.d.). In Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from

http://

www.britannica.com/topic/conditioning
Fields, T. (2015). Ivan Pavlov. Salem Press Biographical Encyclopedia,
Myers, D. G. (2010). Psychology. New York: Worth Publishers.
Smith, L. D. (2010). B. F. Skinner. American National Biography (From Oxford University
Weeks, M. (2014). Heads up psychology. New York, NY: DK Publishing.
What is behavior therapy, and is it biblical? (n.d.). Retrieved from http://
www.gotquestions.org/behavior-

therapy.html
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Press),